March 2012 _ First month of reporting errors to BBC by anti-BBCTrust
The anti-BBCTrust logged 48 errors during its first month of monitoring the BBC News website specifically for this purpose _ Since this blog was set up only on March 5th 2012 incidents for the whole month were not actually recorded _ Nevertheless it is felt the statistics as they stand are worthy of note for various reasons_ not least to give BBC management something to reflect upon _
Therefore this anti-BBCTrust report is hereby released into the public domain _

Synopsis
The data so far collected has already revealed some interesting results _
Whether any kind of result is even possible at such an early stage of research is open to debate_ and anti-BBCTrust is making no claims to having achieved anything statistically significant_ Nevertheless the pattern of results has done much to assist in the early stages of formatting anti-BBC error-reporting_ both online to the BBC and on the anti-BBC blog itself _

Special interests (for all!)
Special areas of interest for future research have also been revealed by this early examination of the data _ Some of these matters have already been raised with the BBC by other parties_ long before anti-BBCTrust began gathering data _
These incidents are highlighted by anti-BBCTrust because the continued existence of them raises serious concerns about BBC independence from commercial and political influence _
To make the point_ this is one error gathered in the data so far _

Whilst the accompanying report several times mentioned this Mossad televised event in Dubai_ the picture caption misleadingly reads Hamas _

Another area of immediate interest raised by this research has been the use of “quotation marks” by the BBC _ the anti-BBC Trust considers the misuse of “speech marks” to be a serious matter and has begun to focus more attention on their usage by BBC which is already yielding results in early April that will be included in the next report _
BBC Correspondents
A by-line of correspondence between BBC staff and anti-BBCTrust has also been produced by reporting these errors _ anti-BBCTrust was contacted by BBC errors team on two occasions during March 2012 _ Curiously on both occasions the responses were in defence of BBC errors which had already been ‘corrected’ thereby making the defence of them apparently wrong as well _
Whilst the essence of these communications is recorded on anti-BBCTrust blog Correspondence page _ one perhaps important element not recorded are the details which clearly show these communications were made by staff in a supervisory role _ one or two days after the error was originally reported and eventually corrected _ The correspondents were properly going through older error reports and responding to the matters raised when they felt that was pertinent _

Technical Matters
Reported errors are found ONLY on BBC News web-pages that are directly linked to the front page of the website _ anti-BBCTrust uses a human-created algorithm to conduct error searches _
The method of search created allows for some randomization in the search pattern to occur _ The 48 individual reports in Appendix A – March 2012 Report Sheet show that time of report has no apparent structural restrictions_ and these round the clock inspections coincide with the BBC News website regularly updating the front page with edited links that lead to other areas of BBC online_ such as BBC Magazine_ BBC Editor’s blogs_ etc _
The result is that anti-BBCTrust searches do achieve a level of randomness _ but regardless of these details_ the overriding element is that reported errors are always directly linked to the BBC News website front page _

badly writtenlack of clarity from the writer_ to the point of not being readable_ hence ‘error’
these are possibly created by difficult and unnecessary convolutions of sentences or being altogether unclear as to how something should be written properly _

font/technical errors _
typesetting errors such as ‘typeSETTing’ _ audio-synch errors on news footage
print or white space anomalies that may have been created by source code

actual reports were posted to anti-BBCTrust blog in chronological order _ with the latest report at the very top of the report sheet _

48 _ # 300312 – 04 extra word _ BBC contacted 300312 1655 GMTstatus _ correctedFAO _ Chris Mason Political reporter
error located in side bar commentary A small of convoy of cars, covered in Respect posters and flags, then completed a celebratory lap around an otherwise deserted football field, at 3am.

47 _ # 300312 – 03 wrong word _ BBC contacted 300312 1405 GMTstatus_ correctedthat for the Constable possibly?He said the Constable Carroll was shot dead simply because he was a police officer and his identity was irrelevant to his killers.

46 _ # 300312 – 02 pluralizing error _ BBC contacted 300312 0600 GMTstatus_ correctedfindings reflect whereas finding reflectsDavid Stout, of the NHS Confederation, which represents managers, said the finding “reflect very closely many of the concerns our members have raised”.note _ this is the same article as reported in #300312-01 _ i won’t add to the error tally ‘unfairly’ by checking this article any further _ though i suggest someone at BBC does ASAP

45 _ # 300312 – 01 misprint?_ BBC contacted 300312 0545 GMT
status_ correctedthat for theyLooking ahead, they said they while things were improving, the CQC still had a “long way to go” to become an effective regulator.

44 _ # 290312 – 02 rewrite required_ BBC contacted 280312 1520 GMTstatus_ uncorrectedwhat does ‘its’ refer to specifically?? Mr Hammond said the UK’s role in officer training would continue after 2014, as would financial support for the new facility to illustrate its commitment to Afghanistan’s long-term stability.

41 _ # 270312 – 02 wrong tense_ BBC contacted 270312 2055 GMTstatus_ uncorrectedDublin IS or WOULD BE preventedIt would also mean that Dublin was prevented from accessing loans from the European Stability Mechanism (ESM)

40 _ # 270312 – 01 spelling error_ BBC contacted 270312 1158 GMTstatus_ correctedare stamp-price protesters being ‘snookered’?Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: “Those people who baulk at the idea of stamp price rises should understandnotes_ error still uncorrected at 1650 GMT _
BBC updated from antiBBC with evidence from Hull University_Hull University website _ difference between baulk and balk
baulk is incorrectly used for the verb in the context of Mr Hayes’ quote on this article _
whilst the two spellings are interchangeable as nouns the correct spelling for the verb is ‘balk’(included with update _ )instead of posting the pertinent BBC address in the field belowi have taken the liberty of including the web address of the page from Hullemail correspondence initiated by BBC after correction

39 _ # 250312 – 02 rewrite required_ BBC contacted 250312 0410 GMTstatus_ correctedwhat??Ms Plummer said they had no idea what would the charity could go on to achieve.

38 _ # 250312 – 01 capitalization required_ BBC contacted 250312 0405 GMTstatus_ correctedis this a full-stop i see before me?The vote closes on Monday. strike, if it is backed, could be held next month.

37 _ # 240312 – 02 word replacement _ BBC contacted 240312 1255 GMTstatus_ sentence alteredit just so happens that happened should be happeningAttempts are being made to avoid such incidents happened again by drawing up an international code of conduct for space exploration

34 _ # 230312 – 01 inaccurate quote _ BBC contacted 230312 0720 GMTstatus_ correctedit is SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE this is an accurate quote!
“We know that the vast majority of heads are doing a good job, often in challenging circumstances. We undertaking a major reform programme and their skills and experience are vital.”
an immediate follow-up to the previous inaccurate quote logged at the BBC yesterday
(which is still ‘uncorrected’)
it remains to be seen if this latest OBVIOUS ERROR will be corrected_
if it is_ then why has misquoted Ed Milliband in the House of Commons not been corrected??
unfortunately no-one here can expect a response_
either through open discussion or Freedom of Information _BBC staff or management are too busy ducking behind ‘the interests of journalism’the anti-BBC Trust is much more focussed on the interests of GOOD journalism

33 _ # 220312 – 01 inaccurate quote _ BBC contacted 220312 1100 GMTstatus_ uncorrected _ considered important enough to be relogged with BBC at 220312 1830 GMTquotes placed inside quotation marks should be verbatim
Ed Milliband actually says ‘while millionaires pay less’2nd log 1830 GMT _
apparently putting ‘approximate’ representations of what was said inside quotation marks is good enough for staff at the BBC News website _ the problem with this area of ‘bad practice’ is obvious _ once the rule concerning the use of “verbatim” quotation marks is ‘relaxed’ then whereabouts is a line drawn between quote and misquote _ in a news-media environment where the question of public trust should be paramount this is clearly NOT good enough _ this type of error correction will now receive greater monitoring and coverage by anti-BBC Trust

32 _ # 210312 – 03 missing word _ BBC contacted 210312 1520 GMTstatus_ non-extantTo be or not to be?It plans to introduce corporation tax reliefs from April 2013 for the video games, animation and high end television industries, but all will subject to State aid approval and consultation
note _ entire sentence removed at 1523 update… interesting!

28 _ #200312 -02 rewrite required _ BBC contacted 200312 0740 GMTstatus _ correcteddoes all this really need explaining??Few details gave been release about the ambush, which occurred late on Sunday.also note: the top paragraph of this report appears to make extraneous use of the term ‘other’ _ surely ‘other people’ would be more correctly defined as ‘victims’ ??also note: ’10 other people is grammatically incorrect _ ‘ten other people’ would be better(and ‘ten victims’ probably best of choice all from the available BBC variations!! )

26 _ # 190312 – 01 pluralizing error _ BBC contacted 190312 1025 GMTstatus_ correctedwas no suggestion _ WERE no suggestions
National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Russell Hobby said there was no suggestions the practice was widespread

24 _ # 170312 – 03 edit required _ BBC contacted 170312 0800 GMTstatus_ correctederrors before honour in a sign of the close relationship to come – the prime minister was given of the honour of being the first foreign leader invited to the US by the Reagan administration

22 _ # 170312 – 01 edit required _ BBC contacted 170312 0410 GMTstatus _correctedto become or not to become? that is the question!The source told our correspondent the move is seen as “pro-growth” because it would help make the private sector to become more competitive.

19 _ # 150312 – 03 pluralization error? _ BBC contacted 150312 2250 GMTstatus _correctedeither it has_ or they haven’t! The Paddington books have sold more than 35 million copies around the world and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

18 _ # 150312 – 02 Rewrite required _ BBC contacted 150312 2055 GMTstatus _correctedAs or Was ??He added that the efforts of supporters to help those in trouble as “magnificent”.

17 _ # 150312 – 01 double speak _ BBC contacted 150312 0600 GMTstatus _correctedStill standing by your ors ?they ate any clean bread they were given or or sold it on to tradespeople

16 _ # 140312 – 03 Rewrite required _ BBC contacted 140312 2110 GMTstatus _correctedAiming to continue??Justice minister Lord McNally argued that the aim of the new arrangements was to reduce the “high and disproportionate costs in civil litigation will continue”, and without them “access to justice will not become more meaningful for all parties”

15 _ # 140312 – 02 absent pronoun _ BBC contacted 140312 0515 GMTstatus _correctedhe is missing!He said the process would be hoped be COMPLETE by MID TO LATE 2013.

13 _ # 130312 – 04 double speak _ BBC contacted 130312 1935 GMTstatus _correctedIDS promises to ‘champion’ marriage in much the same way as anti-BBC Trust promises to champion best practice by the BBCThe report cites says 28% of children in lone-parent families live in relative poverty

12 _ # 130312 – 03 Bad Grammar _ BBC contacted 130312 1905 GMTstatus _corrected‘Extradition analysis – Clive Coleman’ is badly written for someone with ‘correspondent’ statusIt’s worth also mentioning that the offences that they want Richard O’Dwyer for are copyright infringement offences which carry five-year prison sentences in the United States – a much lesser prison sentence of two years in the UK

08 _ # 110312 – 05 lost in translation! _ BBC contacted 110312 1015 GMTstatus _uncorrectedOnly staff at 38% of homes reported they got regular visits from GPsDOES THIS REALLY NEED EXPLAINING TO YOU?
the position of an adverb in a sentence changes the whole meaning _
or_ if i’m writing this to someone who doesn’t know what an adverb is_
the start of this sentence should read _ Staff at ONLY 38% of homesnote_ quoted from the same articleThere are islands of good practice in a sea of bad practice. If you are paid to do a job, you should be doing it

06 _ # 110312 – 03 absent pronoun _ BBC contacted 110312 0325 GMTstatus _correctedhe is missing!It also heard how targeted a site used by victims of domestic violence who seek advice on how to deal with unwanted pregnancies.

04 _ # 110312 – 01 Headline NEWS _ BBC contacted 110312 0200 GMTstatus _correctedJapan is markING the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake _it’s probably a good job the Japanese aren’t marking the presentation of the BBC News website!!

it’s such a simple thing to get right _ ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK!

03 _ # 090312 – 01 Repeated phrases _ BBC contacted 090312 0430 GMTstatus _correctedSteven Macintosh must have had his head in the computer clouds he was writing about on the Newsbeat page
“But how safe is cloud storage is when prosecutors can close down massively popular websites without warning?”
and further down _
“The giant servers seen in the photographs show the giant servers Facebook use to help accommodate the 800 million people worldwide who access the site.”

it’s probably good that the giant servers are showing giant servers_ imagine if they showed something else!

02 _ # 060312 – 01 Rewrite required _ BBC contacted 060312 1310 GMTstatus _uncorrected
Would an English teacher mark this sentence as ‘correct’?
“Visitors to Antarctica had their gear and pockets sampled, including using vacuum cleaners”
the whole page entitled Alien invaders threaten Antarctic fringes needs closer examination _frankly it looks as though the ‘Alien invaders’ have managed to inhabit the BBC article as well_ further down there are what appear to be several formatting issues_ including _

“Antarctica has a native ecology – a very well-established microbial ecology, and on the peninsula it has two species of indigenous plants,” Prof Chown told BBC News.;

“And it will be changed by species coming in.”
01 _ # 050312 – 01 Grammarstatus _uncorrected
what could this sentence possibly mean?
“This time there may be no pubic frostiness, but that is likely to be at the heart of any heated, private debate.”the highest rated comment on @BBCMarkMardell latest blogpost says it all!